Rose Valley Falls is a magnificent two-tier 300-foot waterfall located on the west end of the Topatopa Mountains in Los Padres National Forest. Rose Valley Falls is the tallest waterfall in the range and while it is an easy hike to the base of the 100-foot tall lower tier of the waterfall (0.8 miles round trip with 150 feet of elevation gain), it is adventure to reach the more impressive... Read more.

To add extra mileage and views to a visit to Paradise Falls in Thousand Oaks, consider placing Lizard Rock on your itinerary. Lizard Rock rises over five hundred feet from the canyon below to offer fine views of Stagecoach Bluff and beyond. This write-up describes a 4.35-mile loop with 570 feet of elevation change that visits both Lizard Rock and Paradise Falls. Two routes to Lizard Rock... Read more.

Paradise Falls drops 40 feet into a large pool along the Arroyo Conejo in Thousand Oaks. The waterfall is located within Wildwood Park, and thanks to an almost excessive network of trails, Paradise Falls may be reached via several routes, including a 2.15-mile out and back hike or a 2.55-mile loop that visits a small cave. It is a downhill hike from the trailhead to Paradise Falls with 260... Read more.

Want to add another peak to the Sandstone Peak-Mishe Mokwa loop? The side trail to Tri Peaks offers an additional 1.2 miles of rugged (but not too steep) hiking. The offshoot is far less maintained than the main loop and appears to get frequent visits from water runoff. Getting to Tri Peaks involves hiking up a trail that has devolved into a gully. If that doesn't bother you, hike the extra... Read more.

At 3,111 feet, Sandstone Peak is the tallest point in the Santa Monica Mountains. The summit can be reached via a 6.25-mile loop with 1,075 feet of elevation gain that (in addition to bragging rights) offers expansive views of the range. Head to Circle X Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains, and start up the Backbone Trail toward Sandstone Peak. After a third of a mile, turn right, taking... Read more.